Old Connections
by primadi
Summary: Crossover with CSI. CHAPTER 7 IS UP!
1. Default Chapter

Title: Old Connections  
Author: tvgoddess7488  
Disclaimers: I don't own any characters involved with C.S.I. or Without a Trace. They belong to the producers.  
________________________________________________________________________________________  
Jack walked into the office carrying a photograph. He slapped the photograph on the table where the rest of the team were drinking coffee.  
  
"Her name's Sara Sidle. 35. Crime scene investigator from Las Vegas. Disappeared last night." Jack told them.  
  
"Why was she in New York?"  
  
"There was a connection with a case they were solving in Vegas. Sara came with a Nick Strokes. He reported her missing. Said she went out for a walk around 8 at night...never came back. He's staying at the Embassy Suites Hotel. Martin, Samantha...you take him."  
  
"Got it," they answered and left from their seats.  
  
"Vivian, check Sara's credit card bills, telephone...her bank statements,"  
  
"I'm on it," Vivian said, standing up and leaving too.  
  
"Danny, you and I are going to fly to Las Vegas."  
________________________________________________________________________________________  
"How long have you known Sara?" Samantha asked.  
  
"3 years. She uhh...transferred in from San Francisco."  
  
"Has Sara ever seemed...suicidal, or, the type to run away from her problems?" Matin asked.  
  
"No. She's not like that. I mean..." Nick said defensively.  
  
"Then what is she like?" Martin asked.  
  
"Sara's basically a work-a-holic. She doesn't have much time for friends and a social life."  
  
"Does she have a boyfriend?" Samantha asked.  
  
"Well, guys at work like her. If that's what you're asking."  
  
"Does she have a boyfriend?" Martin asked.  
  
"Not that I know of..." Nick responded.  
  
"Ok. Can you tell us what happened prior to Sara's walk?"  
  
"Well, umm. We were investigating a case. And there were some developements in New York. So Grissom, our uhh, boss...sent Sara and me here. Yesterday, we interviewed a couple people. Talked to the cops. Had dinner. And, she decided to go for a walk,"  
  
"Pretty casual, then?" Samantha asked.  
"I don't know why, but I feel like you're leaving out something." Martin questioned.  
  
Nick looks at the floor.  
  
"Sara and I were dating."  
  
"Oh, so when you told us there was no boyfriend, you were lying to us?" Martin stated.  
  
"We've kept it a secret for about 3 months now. We didn't plan to tell anyone until...until it got really serious."  
  
"What's your definition of 'serious'?"  
  
"Marriage." Nick said shortly.  
  
"Anything else you'd like to tell us?" Samanrha asked.  
  
"Well, after dinner...we sorta, got in a fight." Nick admitted.  
  
"A fight? A fight about what?" Martin asked.  
  
"Work. Us. I don't really remember right now. That's when she decided to go for a walk,"  
  
"And when she didn't come back..." Samantha said.  
  
"I got worried and called the cops," Nick said, burying his face into his hands.  
  
"Ok. Thank you Mr. Stokes. We'll contact you if there are any more questions,"  
  
"Do you think you'll be able to find her?" Nick asked softly.  
  
Martin and Samantha glance hesitantly at each other.  
  
"We don't know. We'll be in touch," Martin says before he and Samantha head out the door.  
________________________________________________________________________________________ 


	2. Missing Person Number 2

Author: tv_fan_06  
  
E-mAil: tvgoddess7488@aol.com  
  
Disclaimers: I don't own any of these characters!  
  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
"Do you think he had something to do with it?" Samantha asked, as she and Martin stepped out into the streets of New York.  
  
"I don't know. He seems like he loves her. But for him not to remember anything about their fight...it's suspicious." Martin said.  
  
A cell phone rang and both Martin and Sam reached into their pockets to answer it.  
  
"Hello?" They both asked.  
  
"Sam? We need you back here. There have been some leads..." Vivan's voice came on.  
  
~*~  
  
LAS VEGAS:  
  
"There was a triple homicide. One after the other. The three suspects were all connected in one way: through a source in New York. So, we sent Nick and Sara to New York to check it out." Gil Grissom explained.  
  
"Can you explain the case?" Jack asked.  
  
"A week ago, 25 year old Lauren Becker was found murdered in a bar. Two days later, 27 year old Jessica Patterson was also found murdered, in a different bar, two blocks away. Two days after that, another woman, 26 year old Maggie Johnson was found murdered in a bar, only a block away from the first murder scene." Catherine Willows Said.  
  
"Wow..." Danny murmured.  
  
"Any leads? Suspects?" Jack asked.  
  
"None. Zilch. The killer's obviously a professional. These three girls were very different. Except their ages, they lived very separate lives."  
  
"Except for the connection in New York," Jack concluded.  
  
"Yes. All three girls had trouble with their finances. They counted on McNeil's Financing Corp. in New York City,"  
  
"Why New York?" Jack questioned.  
  
"That's why we sent in Nick and Sara. How is Nick?" Warrick Brown asked.  
  
"He's... troubled. Do Nick and Sara work well together?" Jack asked.  
  
"Very well. There have been rumors..." Warrick started.  
  
"Warrick," Grissom said.  
  
"Rumors?" Danny asked.  
  
"Well, there have been rumors going around that Nick and Sara were having a secret relationship,"  
  
"Do you think they were?" Danny asked.  
  
"I don't know. I mean, they're very friendly with each other... if you know what I mean. Especially in these last couple of week, But then again, Sara's friendly with everyone."  
  
"Everyone? Do you think, if they were having a secret relationship, maybe Nick got jealous?" Danny asked.   
  
"Do you know something?" Grissom asked curiously.  
  
"Well, the rumors... were true. They were having a secret relationship," Jack told them.  
  
"I knew it!" Catherine exclaimed.  
  
"Who else has she been friendly with? Any enemies she may have made? Who else knew she was going to New York?" Jack continued to question.  
  
"Umm, she's friendly with all of us. Greg Sanders. He's our tech guy. He's not here right now. But, he wouldn't harm Sara." Grissom said.  
  
"A part of this job is making enemies. Sara probably make a dozen or so in this past year. But, no one except us knew she and Nick were going to New York,"  
  
"Does Nick have any enemies?" Jack asked.  
  
"Well, he had a conflict with a... a stalker, last year. But, he's in jail," Catherine told him.  
  
"Okay. Here's where we'll be staying," Jack said, handing them a hotel business card.   
  
"Please call us if you come up with any leads," Jack said, before he and Danny left.  
  
~*~  
  
"What happened?" Samantha and Martin asked when they ran into the office.  
  
"Nick Strokes. 36. The maid in the hotel called it in. Seems there were signs of a struggle."  
  
"Oh man. DO you think it had something to do with him? The guy just took her for revenge?" Martin asked.  
  
"I don't know. Let's call Jack," Samantha suggested.  
  
~*~  
  
"Jack." Jack answered.  
  
"It's Sam. Sara's boyfriend, Nick, was just reported missing."  
  
"Since when?" Jack asked urgently.  
  
"The hotel maid walked into his hotel room, noticed it a bit messy. She thought there was a sign of a struggle, called the cops."  
  
"Have you talked to her?"  
  
"Not yet." Samantha said. "Martin and I are on our way. Vivian's going to visit Sara's family. Then head down to visit NIck's"  
  
Samantha hung up the phone.  
  
Jack turned to Danny.  
  
"Nick Strokes is reported missing,"  
  
~*~  
  
"What is going on? Are you even trying to find them?" Catherine cried.  
  
"We're trying, ma' am. Has Nick made any enemies this last year?"  
  
"We've told you! A part of this job is making enemies!" Catherine cried.  
  
"Ms. Willows..."  
  
"Catherine,"  
  
"Catherine, we assure you, we're trying our best. We have agents searching the area. We have agents talking to their families. If you could just cooperate with us..."  
  
Grissom rushed into the room.  
  
"We have a suspect," he said.  
  
~*~  
  
"I walked in. The bed sheets were all over the place. Everything was on the floor. It was so messy," Rosie Walker, the maid, said.  
  
"So you decided to call the police?" Samantha asked curiously.  
  
"Well, I knew that his girlfriend had gone missing. So, I figured... something had happened to him too," Rosie said.  
  
"You watch a lot of tv?" Martin asked.  
  
"I barely have time." she explained.  
  
"Does your hotel have video survelliance?" Sam asked.  
  
"Yes. But you need to talk to the manager about that." she said.  
  
~*~  
  
"Isn't that a bit weird? Someone's room is messy, and you call the cops?" Martin asked.  
  
"Well, she probably heard that his girlfriend had gone missing,"  
  
"But...no one knew they were dating. And we didn't publicize this on television," Martin explained.  
  
"Good point. Let's do a background check on Rosie Walker," Samantha said.  
  
"Hey...it's 12:15. Want to grab some lunch?" Martin asked shyly.  
  
"Are you asking me out?" Samantha teased.  
  
"I'm asking you out to lunch," Martin said, smiling.  
  
~*~ 


	3. Three Calls

Disclaimers in CH. 1/2  
  
~*~  
  
Martin and Samantha sat across from each other in a nice resturant.  
  
"So, tell me, what's really going on between you and Jack?" Martin asked with a sly smile.  
  
"Whatever do you mean?" Samantha asked.  
  
"Oh come on..." Martin persisted.  
  
"Ok. Well, we... there's a lot of tension. Chemistry between us, you know? But, he has kids..." Samantha trailed off.  
  
"And you're just not for that?" Martin asked.  
  
"No, it's just I don't want to play the 'evil stepmom' part," Sam admitted.  
  
"But you wouldn't be playing the evil stepmom part. You're great..." Martin said.  
  
"Aww, you're sweet." Sam smirks. "But, actually, we uhh...did sorta have an affair,"  
  
"What? When he was married?" Martin asks surprised.  
  
"Well...not exactly an affair. Just a small kiss, that's it."  
  
"A small kiss? What's your definition of a small kiss?" Martin asked.  
  
Sam laughs.  
  
"Well, all right. It was pretty...passionate. But, then we realized what we were doing, pulled away, haven't talked about it since,"  
  
"Do you regret it?" Martin asked.  
  
"Regret what?" Samantha asked, taking a sip of her coffee.  
  
"Regret not... making it bigger, I guess? Is that how you would word it?" Martin asked.  
  
"No, I don't regret it. I don't want to be the woman who destroyed his marriage. What about you? Did you leave behind a girlfriend?"   
  
"Well, a girlfriend, yes. But... you know, it wasn't...love. I guess," Martin said, before smiling at her. "What about you? A boyfriend?"  
  
"Nope. I'm too busy working." Sam laughs.  
  
They continue to smile at each other, before Martin notices something.  
  
"Hey, isn't that Rosie?" Martin asks.  
  
Samantha turns and watches Rosie taking a seat across from a man.  
  
"Yea, it is. What's their story?" Sam asked.  
  
"Maybe they're just having lunch... like us," Martin said smiling.  
  
Samantha smiles back, before noticing Rosie and her company. The man handed Rosie a stuffed envelope.  
  
"Do you think that's money?" Martin asked.  
  
Sam's cell phone rang.  
  
"Hello? Oh hi Jack. What? Oh ok. McNeil Financing Corp. Ok, we'll check it out. Wait, let me get those names..." Sam said. Martin handed her a napkin and a pen.  
"Jessica Patterson, Lauren Becker. Maggie Johnson. Got it, all right. Good-bye." Sam hung up her phone and stared at Martin.  
  
"Can we get that to go, please?" Martin requested.  
  
~*~  
  
SAN FRANCISCO:  
  
"Sara... she's never had many friends. She was more concerned about...work, and...work." Laura Sidle cried.  
  
"When she told us she was in a relationship, we were happy. We wanted to meet him. She said, she'd bring him to San Francisco when they had a chance," Peter Sidle said.  
  
"Did she mention this boyfriend?" Vivian asked.  
  
"She just said that she worked with him, have known him for years, and they were in a secret relationship,"  
  
"I was a little concerned. I thought maybe he was married or something... that's why they were keeping it a secret. But, she assured me he wasn't, and told me they were keeping it a secret because they didn't want to jinx the relationship," her father told them.  
  
"And you believed her?" Vivian asked.  
  
"Of course! She's our only daughter..." Laura cried.  
  
"Why? Is there something you aren't telling us?" Peter demanded to know.  
  
"No. Not at all. We've met her boyfriend, Nick in New York. His story is clear..."  
  
"Nick? It's Nick? Nick Strokes?" Laura asked.  
  
"Yes. They've been dating for... you know Nick?"  
  
"Yes. When they were working on a case in San Francisco, just a while ago actually, she brought him and introduced us."  
  
"How long ago?"   
  
"Umm... maybe two months ago?" Peter said.  
  
"Did you like Nick?"  
  
"Sure, he was polite. Charming. Why didn't I see it? Do you think Nick had something to do with Sara's disappearance?"  
  
"This morning, Nick was reported missing too. We think, that, the same guy, or group, has him too."  
  
"Oh my god...Peter," Laura said, breaking into tears.  
  
~*~  
  
"Okay. Rosie Walker... she's 26. Single mother... has a four year old daughter. Maid for... hey, she has a loan at the McNeil Financing Corp." Samantha read off her paper.   
  
"Isn't that the same place at the three vics?" Martin asked.  
  
"Yea. Ok, let's check out that place..." Samantha said, grabbing her coat.  
  
~*~  
  
LAS VEGAS:  
  
"His name is Darryl Baker. Has a record for assualt and rape. He's on parole. And he also has an account with McNeil Financing Corp." Grissom explained.  
  
"How did..."  
  
"Warrick went back to the latest crime scene, found a fingerprint on the floor of where the third vic was killed. Since his fingerprint was already in the system...it was easy to trace,"  
  
"If you don't need us, Mr. Grissom, we'll be going back to New York." Jack told him.  
  
"Please, try to bring Nick and Sara back. We need them." Grissom said.  
  
"We'll try," Jack said, before leaving.  
  
Jack left the building and nearly ran into Danny.  
  
"Hey! OK, get this. Sara Sidle's cell phone records, I got them. The night she disappeared, she placed three calls, one after the other, at 8:30 at night. To Las Vegas."  
  
"8:30? To whom?"  
  
"Gil Grissom," Danny said.  
  
~*~  
  
TEXAS:  
  
"Nicky said he was in a relationship with a gal at work. Said her name was Sara," Patty Strokes.  
  
"Did he say anything about the relationship? If it was good, if it had its troubles?"  
  
"No... he seemed so happy." Ed Strokes answered.   
  
"When was the last time you talked to your son?"   
  
"Uhh...day before yesterday, actually. He was in New York. He called to say, that, he and Sara broke up,"  
  
"He called you two days ago? To say that they broke up?" Vivian asked.  
  
"Yea. He seemed awfully sad about it. He said he'd be stopping in Texas the next day. That he had finished his work in New York."  
  
"He didn't mention anything else?"  
  
"No, he didn't."  
  
~*~  
  
LAS VEGAS:   
  
"Mr. Grissom. It seems, that, the night Sara disappeared, she made three calls to you. One after the other..."  
  
Grissom looked at the papers on his desk.  
  
"Can you explain this?" Jack asked.  
  
"Sara told me that she and Nick were over." Grissom said simply.  
  
"Were you and Sara having an affair?" Jack questioned.  
  
"No! Of course not."  
  
"Then what did she say, that took her three calls to finish?"  
  
"She said... she didn't know what to do. She was hysterical. I asked her what they fought about. mistake or not,"She just kept saying that... they were over. She kept wondering if she made a big mistake or not."  
  
"So, that was in the first call?" Danny asked.  
  
"No... that was in the second call,"  
  
"Then, what was in the first call."  
  
"She just told me that they broke up. Then she accidentally hung up. And she called me back."  
  
"What did she say in the third call?"  
  
"She said..." Grissom took a breath. "She told me that she was resigning. She was moving back to San Francisco."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Danny asked.  
  
"Listen, I was the only person Sara told of her relationship with Nick. I wasn't about to break that promise. And I thought... I mean, if she was resigning. It wouldn't seem like a disappearance, would it? It'd seem like she just ran away. And I know Sara, she doesn't run away."  
  
"But she's running away from her problems with Nick,"  
  
"No, she wasn't. She wasn't running away from anything." Grissom said firmly.  
  
~*~  
  
"This case gets more... bizarre every moment," Jack told Danny.  
  
Danny nodded his head in agreement.  
  
~*~  
  
"Lauren Becker. Jessica Patterson. Maggie Johnson. DO you recognize any of these names,"  
  
"I don't recognize them, but I could run them through the computer," Anne Shultz said.  
  
"Thank you," Samantha said.  
  
"Ok. All three of those woman have accounts here. And all three are deceased."  
  
"Deceased? Since when?" Martin asked.  
  
"Since... Lauren Becker, since April 11th, Jessica Patterson, April 13th, and Maggie Johnson, April 15th."  
  
Samantha jotts these down on a notepad.  
  
"Do you know who handled their accounts?"  
  
"Uhh... yes. All by the same person. That's funny, uhh... John Lower," she read.  
  
"What about Rosie Walker?"  
  
Ms. Schultz typed in the name.  
  
"She's very much alive. John Lower handled her case,"  
  
"Ok, thank you very much."  
  
~*~  
  
Martin and Samantha are reading over the cases.  
  
"Hey, Martin, what day did Lauren Becker die? In her file?" Sam asked.  
  
"Umm... April 12th." Martin said, reading from her file.  
  
"In the computer, it says April 11th."  
  
Martin and Sam realize something.  
  
"Someone at that company..."  
  
"But, how does that relate to Sara and Nick?"  
  
Vivian walked through the door.  
  
"Hey, Viv, welcome back," Sam welcomed her.  
  
"Welcome back..." Martin greeted.  
  
"Thanks. What do you have?" Vivian asked.  
  
"Well... it turns out that, on the McNeil Finance Corp. computer... the women's deaths are a day early."  
  
"So, someone knew they were going to die." Vivian concluded.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"What do you have?" Martin asked.  
  
"Well, The Strokes told me that Nick called them the night of Sara's disappearance. He told them that they broke up, and he was going to drop by Texas after his trip to New York and stay there for a while."  
  
"What about Sara's parents?"  
  
"They knew she was in a relationship with someone from work. Turns out, Sara and Nick were investigating a case in San Francisco, swung by and visited her parents. Brought Nick with her."  
  
"But they didn't know Nick was the person who she was having the relationship with?"  
  
"No. They didn't know it was him," Vivian said. "Jack called me. He told me the night Sara disappeared, she made three calls to her boss, Gil Grissom."  
  
"Three calls? Were they having an affair?" Sam asked.  
  
"No, the first call was to tell him that she and Nick broke up. Accidentally hung up. Second call, she starts to get hysterical. She was looking for some comfort and support from Grissom. Accidentally hangs up again. Third call, she tells Grissom she's resigning, moving back to San Francisco,"  
  
"This must've been a big fight." Sam says.  
  
"But, there are still no leads on Nick and Sara," Martin says frustrated.  
  
"Rosie Walker's a little suspicious." Sam says.  
  
"John Lower was her officer," Martin says.  
  
"John Lower was the officer for the three victims from Las Vegas too," Sam mentions.  
  
"I'll go find him. You two try to talk to Rosie again. Ask her about the money..." Vivian said.  
  
The group went their separate ways. 


	4. Chaos

Disclaimers in Ch. 1/2:  
  
~*~  
  
"Rosie..." Martin stopped her in the lobby of the hotel.  
  
"Oh, hi. Can I help you with something?" she asked cautiously.  
  
"Yea, actually, you can. Have you ever heard of McNeil Financing Corp.?" Sam asked.  
  
"Yes, I have. In fact, I have an account there," she told them.  
  
"Could you explain the procedure?" Sam asked.  
  
"Oh," Rosie said, somewhat relieved. "Well, basically, it helps those in financial support. Basically, you start an account, and you get money."  
  
"I'm sorry, I don't understand. So, you start and account, and you get an account...that's full of money that's not yours?" Martin asks.  
  
"Yea. It's like a loan. You choose how much to be placed in your account, pay them back later." Rosie says.  
  
"Do you make monthly payments in return, or... do you get to choose when you..."  
  
"Umm, well, I haven't started paying back. It's different for each individual, based on your occupation, living environment, etc." she said.  
  
"Interesting...do you find McNeil Financing Corp very helpful?" Martin asks.  
  
"Yes." Rosie said.  
  
Her eyes didn't quite meet up with her voice.  
  
"Thank you for your time," Martin said, and he lead Sam out of the building.  
  
~*~  
  
"She doesn't like it. We should do a search on McNeil Financing Corp. Where did all this money come from?" Sam asks.  
  
"Ok, here's a theory. What if, those three vics... wanted out? Or, they couldn't pay it?" Martin asks.  
  
"But would they really go out to the limb and kill her?" Samantha asks.  
  
"Let's do the search first..."  
  
~*~  
  
"Nice to be back in New York," Jack says.  
  
"Oh yes. Vegas was just a little...too wild," Danny said.  
  
Martin and Samantha walked in through the doors.  
  
"Hey you guys. Welcome back!" Sam greeted them.  
  
"Brought you back some souvenirs," Danny joked.  
  
"Aww, thanks." Sam said.  
  
"What has happened?" Jack asks.  
  
"Ok, John Lower." Sam says, showing Jack and Danny the picture.  
  
"He's the officer involved in with the accounts of all three of the victims in Las Vegas, and our maid, Rosie Walker," Sam continued.  
  
"We saw a man handing Rosie something that looked like an envelope stuffed with cash." Martin adds.  
  
"Where did you see this?" Danny pipes up.  
  
"During lunch..." Sam says.  
  
"McNeil Financing Corp works as a helping hand. Basically, however much money you want, you get. It's put into your account... but as for paying it back. That's a different story..." Martin says.  
  
"Rosie said it's different for every individual. Based upon your expenses, your job, whose living with you."  
  
"Okay. But, did you get any ties with Nick or Sara?" Jack asks.  
  
Martin and Sam both shake their heads.  
  
"No leads." Sam said sadly.  
  
"We have one..." Vivian called, walking into the headquarters. "They found Sara Sidle's shoe, in Central Park. About a mile from it, they found Nick Strokes shoe..."  
~*~  
  
"They were only a mile away.... do you think the kidnapper lives in this area?" Danny asks.  
  
"It's a good possibility. Vivian, run records of all tenants who live in a 1 mile radius of Central Park. See if anything shows up," Jack orders.  
  
Vivian leaves and Martin joins the crowd.  
  
"There's some blood near the shoe. Forensics are checking it out..." Martin tells them.  
  
Jack reaches into his pocket and picks up his phone.   
  
"Hi. This is Jack Malone. We have some leads..."  
  
~*~  
  
"Grissom is sending over DNA and blood samples of Nick and Sara." Jack told his team.  
  
"You guys. I was looking at John Lower's record... he used to live in San Francisco." Samantha says, holding some papers.  
  
"So?" Danny asks.  
  
"In fact, he used to live right next to Sara Sidle." Samantha tells them.  
  
~*~  
  
"Yes, I know Sara. She was my neighbor," John Lower told them.  
  
"Did you ever date?" Jack asked.  
  
"We went on a couple dates." he answered.  
  
"What happened?" Jack asked.  
  
"She moved and we lost touch..." he answered.  
  
"When did you move to New York?" Sam asked.  
  
"Two months ago,"  
  
"That's interesting... are your parent's and Sara's parents good friends?"   
  
"Of course they are. Look, Sara and I grew up together. She's practically my little sister," he told them.  
  
"And you dated her?" Danny asks in disbelief.  
  
"Do I need a lawyer?" John asks.  
  
"Let me tell you this, Mr. Lower. I have a theory : your parents casually told you that Sara was dating someone from work. You get a bit jealous... then, a bit gets to a lot. A lot gets to extremely. You're so jealous, that you plot a plan. You get one of your contacts, Darryl Baker, to kill those three girls. Your parents probably told you that Sara had come to San Francisco to work on a case, so you figured, she'd come to New York. Maybe with that co-worker boyfriend of hers. Sure enough, she comes... talks to some people at McNeil Financing...and sure enough, she's come with her charming, Texan boyfriend."  
  
"Stop..." John complains.  
  
"You follow her and Nick back to their hotel, which conveniently, one of your clients works at. You ask Rosie to keep an eye on them. They get in a fight, and Rosie calls to tell you. You wait outside the hotel...hoping Sara will want to go for a walk. Knowing her well, she does. You start to follow her. You follow her into Central Park. She's on the phone... she's crying. You know she's in love with him... when she starts blabbering about resigning, you get agitated. You moved your life to New York for her... and now she's moving back to San Francisco. She hangs up, and you grab her."  
  
"That's not what happened..." John complains.  
  
"You know Rosie has access to all rooms, since she's a maid. You ask her to do you a favor, in return for money, which she badly needs. You ask her to unlock Nick Strokes room. She does, and you kidnap him too. You want to hurt him for stealing your girl away...right?" Jack asks.  
  
"No... it wasn't like that. Listen to me! You have it all wrong!" John screams.  
  
The team waits patiently for him to explain.  
  
"When I heard that Sara had a new boyfriend, I got jealous, so started to date Rosie. Sara is the only woman whose ever made me feel...secure. Special. She made me feel like I was worth something. Well, I heard three of my clients from Las Vegas had died, I was sure that Sara would be on the case. I thought I could win back her heart. I wanted to show her that I was responsible; I had a stable job, I had a nice apartment, I was single. But, that meant I had to break it with Rosie. I told her that an ex of mine was coming to the city, and I really wanted to get back together with her. I thought Rosie would understand, I thought she had enough sense." John says, stopping to take a breath.  
  
"But she didn't?" Martin asks.  
  
"No, just the opposite. She goes berserk! She called me every hour of the night... pleading for me to give her another chance. By then, Sara had arrived. I saw her walk into McNeil Financing. She was beautiful; tall, graceful, her smile. But, I saw that she had come in with a man. He was handsome, and wasn't married. From what my parent's told me, Sara had begun to date a co-worker of hers. I was pretty sure this was the guy."  
  
"Keep going..." Sam tells him.  
  
"Well, we said our hi's. I answered a few of their questions, and then they left. That night, at around 11:30, I got a call from Rosie. I didn't want to talk to her, so I left the answering machine on. She told me that I better talk to her, because she had something that was precious to me. I didn't even think of Sara... I thought she meant a piece of art that was valuable to me, or a famous sculpture." John stuttered.  
  
"What happened next?"   
  
"Well, I thought Sara had gone home. So, I stopped trying to make a good impression. But then, when my secretary told me that some agents had asked about my three dead clients, and Rosie, I knew something wasn't right." John said.  
  
"Did Rosie call you after that night?" Sam asked.  
  
"No. I thought she'd finally gotten a clue...oh my god. If Sara's dead, it'll be my fault, won't it?" John said, before he burst into tears.  
  
"Mr. Lower. You have to help us. You're the only key into finding Sara and Nick." Jack told him.  
  
"How? How can I help?"  
  
Jack handed John the phone.  
  
"Call Rosie..."  
  
~*~  
  
"Port 1, clear..." Danny said into his speaker.  
  
"They are at the port right now." Vivian told the families.  
  
"What is going on?" Patty Strokes asked.  
  
"John Lower is going to try to talk to Rosie about where they are. The FBI team will then run in, grab her..."  
  
"Port 2, clear..." Martin said.  
  
"Port 3, I see a dark figure walking..." Sam whispers.  
  
The stormy pier stands silent.  
  
The figure of John Lower stands, and a smaller figure walks up. The two embrace each other.   
  
"Ready, port 1..." Danny said.  
  
"Ready port 2..." Martin said.  
  
Before Samantha could say her line, shots rang out.  
  
"GET DOWN! GET DOWN!"   
  
People were yelling. Figures dropped to the ground.  
  
The door to the conference room swung open.  
  
"Something's happened," the man told Vivian. 


	5. The Angels Above

DISCLAIMERS IN CH. 1/2:  
  
"What's happened?" Peter Sidle asks urgently.  
  
"I'll be right back," Vivian excuses herself.  
  
~*~  
  
HOSPITAL:  
  
"Mr. Fitzgerald, can you tell me what day it is?" the doctor asked him.  
  
"Was I shot?" Martin asked groggily.  
  
"No, you weren't. But you hit your head... what is your name? Do you know your full name?"  
  
"Martin Fitzgerald. I'm fine. Do you know anything about Samantha Spade, Danny Taylor..." Martin started to ask.  
  
"I'm sorry. I don't. Can you tell us your birthday?" the doctor continued to ask.  
  
~*~  
  
"What the hell happened?" Vivian asked when she found Jack in the waiting room.  
  
"It was a setup. Lower set us up. This... this massacre was his getaway." Jack said miserably.  
  
"Was anybody injured?" Vivian asks, afraid of the answer.  
  
Jack sunk his head.  
  
"Sam's in surgery..." he told her, barely shifting his eyes to meet hers.  
  
Vivian takes a seat.  
  
"How serious is it?" she cautiously asks.  
  
"It penetrated an artery. Chances are 50 to 50."  
  
"Oh my god... what about the guys?" she asks.  
  
"Martin hit his head when he fell, he's getting checked over right now. Danny's getting some stiches..." Jack told her.  
  
"And you?" she asks.  
  
"I'm fine. I don't know how...how did this happen Vivian? He seemed so honest....like he was concerned for her. I mean, how did we let this happen?" Jack asks.  
  
"I don't know..." Vivian mutters.  
  
The door swings open and a doctor walks in.  
  
"Agent Malone, Agent Fitzgerald would like to speak to you."  
  
"How is he?" Jack asks.  
  
"He's fine. He's asking about his colleagues, though." she mentions.  
  
Jack glances at Vivian. She gives him a sad look.  
  
~*~  
  
"Jack, hey..." Martin said.  
  
"Hey Martin. How are you?" Jack asked.  
  
"I'm better. How is Sam? Danny? Was anyone injured? Did anyone...die?" Martin asks.  
  
"Some people were injured. Danny's fine, he's getting stitches." Jack said.  
  
Martin took a deep breath.  
  
"What about Samantha?" he asks, wondering if he really wanted to know the answer.  
  
"Sam got shot. It penetrated an artery, she's in surgery." Jack explained.  
  
"But she's not..."   
  
"She has a 50, 50 chance Martin," Jack told him gently.  
  
"50, 50? 50 percent? Oh my god..."  
  
"Sam's always been a fighter. She'll be okay." Jack assures him.  
  
"How can you be sure? How can you..." Martin asks.  
  
The door opened and the doctor walked in.  
  
"I have...news. They were able to repair the artery, but... she fell into a coma during the surgery. I'm sorry," the doctor said, leaving Martin and Jack in shock.  
  
~*~  
  
Martin walked himself into Sam's private room. Samantha was hooked up to the respirator. Wires, tubes, everywhere. Her pale blonde hair was no longer alive.  
  
"Hey Sam," Martin said, taking her hand. Martin brought her hand up to his cheek and massuaged it.  
  
"I know, you hate it when I call you Sam. But what can I say... it's a nickname," Martin says.  
  
"I really shouldn't be joking. Not under these circumstances... please wake up. Your parents are on their way. I talked to them on the phone. They are so worried about you. Remember that time, when we were looking for that girl, the model? Eve? We went to her house. I was so glad I went with you...to be able to spend time with you, learn more about you."  
  
Martin took a deep breath. No part of Samantha was moving. Martin started caressing her hand.  
  
"We need you. Please wake up..." Martin urged her.  
  
The door creaked quietly. But Martin didn't hear it.  
  
"Remember our lunch date? Remember? I was so happy, and excited. You know, I really shouldn't be complaining. Sometimes, you can't come back, if you want to or not. But, try. For the people who love you: your family, friends, me."  
  
"Martin?" Jack called quietly into the dark hospital room.  
  
"Yea, I'm here..." Martin answered, not taking his eyes of Sam.  
  
"Her family's here; they want to see her,"   
  
"Okay..." Martin said, taking in one more moment, before reluctantly standing up and walking out of the room.  
  
~*~  
  
"OH SAMMIE!!" Samantha's mother, Judy, cried.  
  
Judy Spade rushed over to her daughter's bedside.  
  
"Did Vivian fill you in?" Jack asked.  
  
"Yes, Vivian and the doctors...thank you, Agent Malone. For, taking care of her..." Keith Spade said sadly.  
  
"She's not dead..." Jack told them.  
  
"We know..." Keith said.  
  
After about a minute of watching Samantha sleep, Judy asked, "Who was that man who left the room before we came in?"  
  
"That was umm...a colleague of Sam's,"   
  
"A colleague? Or more..." Keith said, looking sadly at his daughter.  
  
"Samantha, please... mommy and daddy are here," Judy whispered.  
  
~*~  
  
Martin walked into the small church located inside the hospital. It stood completely empty and isolated.  
  
Martin bent down before a pew and placed his hands together.  
  
"I know I don't talk to you often. When mom died, I guess I took the blame on you. I thought you would save her, and, you didn't. But I've come to understand through the years, that, it's not your fault. She's dying...she's in a coma. It wasn't supposed to turn out that way. We were supposed to catch the bad guy. Please, I don't ask you for anything very often. I would do anything, just...don't let her die. Please, if there's an angel up there. I love her. Try to help her, please..."   
  
Martin's voice shook before he realized he was crying. A hand comforted his shoulders.  
  
"It's okay, let it out...it's ok." Danny told him.  
  
"I love her." Martin sobbed.  
  
"I know, I know. She'll be all right. She's strong, she's a fighter. She'll make it...and you'll be there, to help her recover." Danny assured him.  
  
"But what if she doesn't? What if she dies?"   
  
Danny didn't know what to say. Feeling as if it was the only thing he could do, he comforted his friend.  
  
~*~  
  
THANKS TO   
  
Astraea: Thanks for pointing out the "strokes" thing to me! I didn't even realize it!  
  
Fastdancr, Dolly, and, asd: thank you SOO much for your comments! it always makes me want to write MORE reading your wonderful remarks! they're inspirational~ thanks!  
  
PLEASE R+R! 


	6. Love, Ethics, and Success

DISCLAIMERS IN CH. ½  
  
~*~  
  
Danny walked out of the church in distress. Martin had insisted he wanted a few minutes to himself. Danny leaned against the cool surface of the wall, and breathed in and out.   
  
~*~  
  
Martin prayed silently. He heard voices in the back of the church.  
  
"We haven't done this for years, Keith." his wife protested.  
  
"It won't hurt." he told her.  
  
Martin turned his head.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry dear, we didn't mean to disturb you..." the wife said.  
  
They must be Sam's parents. She has her dirty blonde hair.   
  
"I'm sorry, you look familiar." the woman said.  
  
"I work with your daughter," Martin told them.  
  
"Oh. Please, come sit with us..." she requested.  
  
Martin got up from his kneeling position and went to sit with them.  
  
"I'm Keith. This is my wife, Judy." the man said.  
  
"Martin Fitzgerald..." Martin answered.  
  
"We haven't seen Sammie in, years. The last time we did, was at her brother's wedding. She showed up unexpectedly. We, uh, didn't invite her. But, her brother told her...she came. When we saw her, we told her to go. To leave...you can imagine how we, regret that now," Judy said, breaking into tears.  
  
Judy looked to her husband for some support. But, Keith noticed the curious look on Martin's face.  
  
"We didn't want her working for the FBI. She could've been a lawyer, a doctor, but...she chose to catch men with guns. We're against gun control, and, I guess it just broke our hearts that our own daughter would carry a gun everyday to work." Keith explained.  
  
"Guns are used to protect us..." Martin said.  
  
"Look what happened? A gun didn't protect my daughter, it might help kill her!" Keith said.  
  
"I miss Sammie..." Judy murmured.  
  
The couple, with their arms around each other, studied Martin.  
  
"She never told you about, her family troubles?" Judy asks.  
  
"Well, Sam and I...we're not very close," Martin admitted.  
  
"But you love her...I can tell," Judy said, smiling.  
  
Martin blushed and smiled back.  
  
Jack poked his head into the church.  
  
"Martin...come here,"  
  
"Excuse me," Martin excused himself from Samantha's parents.  
  
~*~  
  
"What's up?" Martin asked, acknowledging Jack and Danny.  
  
"She's awake. And she wants to talk to you.." Was all Jack got in, before Martin started racing to her room.  
  
~*~  
  
Martin walked into the dark room. The blinds were closed, and Martin was relieved to see that some of the wires had been removed.  
  
"Martin?" a small voice asked.  
  
"Hey, I'm here. It's okay, you're okay." Martin said, kissing the top of her head.  
  
"What happened?" she asked, hugging him tightly.  
  
"He set us up. And, you were shot..."   
  
"Lower set us up? That..."  
  
"It's okay. You're okay." He said, assuring her.  
  
Samantha smiled up at him. Martin took a seat.  
  
"I was so worried, you know that?" he asked, taking her hands and caressing them.  
  
"I'm glad. Are you okay?" she asked.  
  
"I'm not in a hospital bed, am I?" Martin joked.  
  
"Very true..." Sam said.  
  
"Your, umm...parents are here," Martin said.  
  
"What do they want?" Sam asked coldly.  
  
"Come on, Sam. They're your mother and father..."  
  
"No, they're not. Biologically, yes. Ethically, no."  
  
"They're really worried about you..."  
  
"My ass, they are. They just care about themselves. .they don't want to be the unconcerned parents who didn't even bother to show up the hospital when their daughter was shot." Samantha huffed.  
  
"When did you lose contact with them?" Martin asked quietly.  
  
"The day I told them I was going to be an FBI agent. I was disowned as their daughter,"  
  
"Sam, please. I mean, don't you think they've suffered enough too? You're their daughter...they haven't seen you in years!" Martin argued.  
  
"Don't you think I've suffered? I paid my way through school, because they didn't support it. I was disowned! I was kicked out of my own brother's wedding! MY OWN BROTHER'S WEDDING!! I'm never welcomed, or invited, to family events, holidays, rituals. Don't you think I've suffered? And I am surprised, that with a father like yours, you're actually sticking up for them!" Samantha yelled.  
  
"Hey! I would've killed for parents like yours!" Martin cried.  
  
"Yea, killed yourself!"   
  
The door opened and Jack walked in.  
  
"Is everything okay in here? I can here you from down the hall" Jack said.  
  
"Everything's fine." Martin said.  
  
"Yea, just dandy," Sam muttered.  
  
"Hey, if you want me to leave, just tell me!"  
  
"Alright! I want you to go! In fact, I'll do it the way my parents taught me...leave! And don't come back until you have your sense together!"  
  
Martin stormed out of the hospital room.  
  
"Hey, where's the fire?" Danny asked as he passed Martin in the hall, on his way to Sam's room.  
  
But Martin ignored him and kept on walking.  
  
"Martin! Where is she? They told us she was awake. Jack said to wait here...can we see her?" Judy asked frantically.  
  
"How dare you come in here, and call her your parents? After what you've done to her! You put your ethical beliefs before your daughter! You are a disgrace! You should be ashamed of yourselves! Her own brother's wedding! And you, kicked her out! What the hell is WRONG WITH YOU?!" Martin yelled.  
  
"Now, listen to me, young man...that is NO WAY to talk to us! No respect, at ALL!"  
  
"Respect? Respect? YOU'RE lecturing me on RESPECT? Give me a break! I should be lecturing you! Your daughter put herself through college when you didn't respect her choices, her wishes, HER JOB! Oh yea, you're a man of huge respect..." Martin muttered, before he turned his back and walked away.  
  
"Come back here! COME BACK HERE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!"   
  
Martin continued to walk down the hall, past Sam's room, where he heard her voice call his name.  
  
"Martin...please, come here," she asked.  
  
Reluctantly, Martin obeyed her and walked into the empty room. Sam's head was up and she seemed more alive than the last time he saw her. She reached her hand out, and Martin took it. Pulling Martin closer to her, she kissed him gently on the lips. Pulling away, she said, "thank you."  
  
Martin nodded and hugged her.  
  
"Hey, you guys. Well, isn't this...joyful?" Danny said.  
  
"Ok, a fisherman saw an unusual couple driving away in a speedboat. We think it's Lower and Rosie. We have people searching the water...Danny, you coming?" Jack asked.  
  
"Right behind you..." Danny said, winking at Martin and Sam.  
  
~*~  
  
"We found a houseboat." the Capt. Jacobs told Jack and Danny as they approached the scene.  
  
Capt. Jacobs lead Jack and Danny to a young cop, named Officer Wells.  
  
"There are two people on that boat...they're moving." He informed them, using his special binoculars.  
  
"Can you tell who it is?" Jack inquired.  
  
"No...wait, one's a female. The other's a male..." he said, taking a closer look.  
  
"Don't shoot until I give you the signal..." the Capt. Jacobs ordered.  
  
Capt. Jacobs, Jack, and Danny started to turn away when Officer Wells shouted, "One of them is getting up! I can see his head!"  
  
The three rushed back to him.  
  
"Does it look like him?" Jack asked, flashing a picture of Nick Stokes in his face.  
  
"I don't know. It's too blurry. The male is up. He's bending down..." he's saying.  
  
"Could he be raping her?" Capt. Jacobs asks.  
  
"I don't know...but then, where's Nick?" Jack asks.  
  
"He could already be dead..." Danny says.  
  
"Are we going in or not?" Jack demands to know.  
  
"Go, go, go!" Capt. Jacobs orders.  
  
The officers jumped into the speedboat waiting for them. Jack and Danny watched the speedboat approach the boathouse. One by one, the men climbed onto the boathouse.   
  
"We're going in!" A voice came onto the walky talky.  
  
On the walky talky are some blurred voices, noises, and sounds. "GET DOWN! GET DOWN!" officers are shouting.  
  
There's a moment of silence and some hushed breaths.  
  
"Please, help her! Please..." a new voice speaks.  
  
"Is that Nick's voice?" Jack asks.  
  
"I don't know. Martin and Sam interviewed him." Danny responds.  
  
"All clear. We need paramedic backup." the officer said.  
  
"What type of injures?" Capt. Jacobs wants to know.  
  
"We have a couple broke bones. We need some stitches...we're coming out!"   
  
From their view, they see a couple offices walk out, waving for success. Nick Stokes appears, holding Sara Sidle, who has obviously been through a great deal of pain.   
  
"They're okay. We did it...good job, Jack," Danny said, patting Jack on the back.  
  
~*~  
  
AUTHORS NOTES: In case you are confused, Sam says "thank you" to Martin cause she heard the fight from down the hall. Martin obviously was on her side, and defended her. What a great reward...a kiss. Lol. :)  
  
PLEASE R+R!   
  
P.S: There will be more! (Just another chapter or 2) 


	7. Till Death Do Them Part

DISCLAIMERS IN CH. ½  
  
~*~  
  
Jack reached into his pocket and dialed.  
  
"We found them..." he said simply.  
  
~*~  
  
Martin fell asleep at Sam's bed when Jack walked in.  
  
"Martin...Martin, wake up," Jack said, poking him.  
  
"Hmm...oh, hi Jack. What's going on?" Martin asked, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"We found them..."  
  
"Really? Where were they? Did you find Lower and Walker?"   
  
"No, we're still looking for them. They're going to make it, they are..."  
  
"What kind of condition are they in?"  
  
"They've both suffered. They both have high fevers, some bruises."  
  
"Who was hurt more?"  
  
"Sara, I think. I'm not that sure..." Jack admitted.  
  
"Did he...rape her?" Martin asked quietly.  
  
"They're going to do a rape kit. She's a little disoriented..."  
  
"How is Nick?"  
  
"He's, he's all right. He's better than she is..."  
  
"Jack, he wants to talk to us..." Danny said, poking his head through the doorway.  
  
~*~  
  
"Agent Malone, nice to meet you..." Nick said, as he sat up on his bed.  
  
"How are you doing?" Jack asked.  
  
"Better. I would really like to see Sara, though." he requested.  
  
"I'm sorry. I can't arrange that. Is that why you wanted to talk to me?" Jack asked.  
  
"No, I want to help you find John and...Rosie." Nick replied.  
  
"Can you tell us what happened?" Jack asked.  
  
"I'll try. Where do I begin?"  
  
"In the beginning. What did you and Sara fight about?" Jack asked.  
  
"I proposed to her that night. She uhh..she said she needed to think about it. We sorta, made it bigger than...well, that's when she decided to take a walk," Nick said.  
  
"So, there wasn't a fight? She just stepped outside to think about your proposal?" Danny asked.  
  
"No, when she didn't answer 'yes' immediately, I sensed...that, I don't know. I just, figured she still had a thing for John, her old boyfriend who we met earlier that day. So, I confronted her...she got mad at me. I said some things I shouldn't have, and...she walked out." Nick said sadly.  
  
Flashback:  
  
"...marry me?" Nick asked, on bended knee.  
  
"Oh, Nick. Nicky..I, I..." she said, gasping at the man in front of her.  
  
"Can I, can I think about it?"  
  
"What's there to think about?" Nick asked.  
  
"I just...marriage is a big step. I just, want to make sure..."  
  
"If you love me, what's there to make sure about?" Nick asked surprised.  
  
"Why are you being so defensive? I just want to make sure I'm not making the biggest mistake of my life..."  
  
"Does this have anything to do with your ex-boyfriend, the one we saw today?"   
  
"John? This has nothing to do with John! How can you..." Sara said incredulously.  
  
"He was flirting with you. And you were falling for it!" Nick cried.  
  
"I cannot believe this! I cannot, you of all people Nick!" Sara cried, before grabbing her coat and making her way to the door.  
  
"Fine! Leave, leave like you left San Francisco! I don't care...you're on your own!" Nick yelled.  
  
Giving Nick one last, angry look, Sara walked out of the room.  
  
End flashback.  
  
"What happened after that?"  
  
"Well, she never came back. I got worried and called the cops, who called you. Later that night, when I was sleeping, someone threw me off the bed. I didn't know what was going on...I saw one of the maids, on me, trying to keep me down. A man walked in, and used ropes to tie my hands and feet. They led me out a secret exit..."  
  
"Where did they take you?" Danny asked.  
  
"They shoved me in their car, and drove. They kept driving...and driving. Finally, they stopped. It was a cabin- a cabin near the water. They dragged me...up the steps. I think my head hit something, cause I could feel the pain and I blacked out. When I woke up, I saw Sara, on the floor. She was really bloody. There were bruises everywhere...and, she looked so helpless. She looked dead..." Nick sobbed.  
  
"Was Sara awake?"  
  
"I think she was...sleeping? Maybe unconscious...I don't remember,"   
  
"What happened next?"   
  
"It was a pretty small cabin. So, I heard every conversation they had. John went back to the city, and Rosie...held her guard, I guess. We didn't see John for a day or two...Rosie got really mad. Thought he had gotten scared of the cops...took the blame out on me and Sara. Finally, John phone called her. She dragged me and Sara onto a boat. I didn't know what she was going to do. I was thinking that she would throw us overboard. But she didn't."  
  
"Did Sara wake up at any moment?" Danny asked.  
  
"She did, but then Rosie would always do something that would cause her to...she was unconscious most of the time. Rosie really hated her..she treated Sara far worse than me,"   
  
"What happened next?" Jack asked.  
  
"Then, Rosie left. There was another boat, and she left."  
  
"To rescue Lower..." Jack told him.  
  
"I tried to wake up Sara. I tried, really hard. But, she wouldn't...she wasn't even moving at that point. I decided to try to free myself...from the ropes,"  
  
"And you did..."  
  
"Yea, I did. They were cheap ropes, it wasn't as hard as I thought it was. When I was free, I shook Sara. She began to come around...you should've seen her face. I just, wanted to make all the pain go away. All of it...everything that had happened. She was crying, I was so afraid she would die." Nick said, wiping away the tears on his face.  
  
"Do you have any idea where Lower and Walker might go?"  
  
"Maybe to the cabin?" Nick suggested.  
  
"Where is the cabin?" Danny asked.  
  
"I don't know. It's near the waters though, that's all I remember," Nick said.  
  
"Thank you. You were a big help," Jack said.  
  
"When do you think I could see Sara?" Nick asked.  
  
"When she's ready..." Jack said.   
  
"I want to ask her, again. Do you think, that's appropriate?"  
  
"I think, she would've said yes in the very beginning. But, seeing her old boyfriend, she just got overwhelmed."  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"Because, she loves you. And, the same thing happened to my wife and me," Jack said.  
  
"Are you and your wife still married?" Nick asked.  
  
"Happily. With two girls," Jack said.  
  
"Thank you, Agent Malone,"  
  
Jack nodded, and stepped outside with Danny.  
  
"Why didn't you tell him the truth?" Danny asked.  
  
"Because, those two deserve to be together. After what they've been through...those two, they'll make it through. Till death do them part..." Jack said, before heading down to Samantha's room.  
  
~*~ 


End file.
